Faculty Spotlight: Grace Huang, DMD, MMSc

Grace Huang, DMD, MMSc, joined UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry in 2024 as the predoctoral orthodontics program director at just 28 years old, making her one of the youngest educators in the nation to lead a doctoral specialty curriculum. In April 2025, she was named the W. Bonham Magness, DDS Endowed Professor in Orthodontics.

She earned her DMD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as the academic and curriculum chair all four years, a role dedicated to strengthening faculty-student communication and curriculum design. Huang completed her orthodontic certificate and Master of Medical Sciences degree at Harvard University, becoming the first Harvard resident to receive the Eugene L. Gottlieb Journal of Clinical Orthodontics Student of the Year Award.

After completing her training in the Northeast, Huang relocated to Houston to begin the next chapter of her career — drawn by the opportunity to help shape the next generation of dental professionals in one of the nation’s most dynamic and diverse cities.

At UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, Huang directs the predoctoral orthodontic curriculum, teaching both didactic and clinical courses to second-, third-, and fourth-year dental students. She also advises student organizations, including the Alignment Club, and serves on the Faculty Development and Evaluation Committee. Huang credits her predecessor, Lacey Harris, DMD, MSD, with providing invaluable guidance during her transition and helping ensure the program’s continued success.

“Teaching at this stage of my career is a unique privilege,” she said. “I get to build upon the foundational wisdom of my mentors while also speaking the language of my students. My role is to guide them in using emerging technology to augment our clinical judgment rather than replace our human connection.”

Outside the classroom, Huang brings her passion for the arts into her academic life. A classically trained opera singer, she performs with Molar Melodies, the School of Dentistry’s faculty-student music ensemble. Huang credits her musical background with helping her infuse her teaching with the same energy, confidence, and presence that she says are essential for a great performance.

“Being on stage taught me to read a room — to sense whether an audience is with me or if I need to adapt,” she said. “I hope that seeing me as both a professor and a singer encourages my students to keep up their other passions, because those experiences make us more effective, empathetic, and relatable doctors.”

Beyond her work with students, Huang’s academic interests include clear aligner treatment, evidence-based orthodontic education, and the thoughtful integration of technology to enhance patient care. She continues to present and moderate at national conferences and collaborate on clinical studies advancing personalized orthodontic care.

Her research has received broad recognition, including first place in the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research’s Hatton Competition, first place for clinical research at Harvard Dental Research Day, and the Drabkin Memorial Prize for Research in Biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania.

Beyond her faculty responsibilities, Huang practices at Advance Orthodontics in Houston and contributes to national leadership through professional organizations, including the American Association of Orthodontists and the Southern Society of Orthodontists.

Through her work in education, research, and clinical practice, Huang aims to bridge disciplines and advance both the science and the humanity at the heart of orthodontic care.